New baseball park for University of Florida

The University of Florida Athletic Department has announced plans to build a new baseball park, a new stand-alone football training complex and carry out upgrades to its current softball stadium.

The projects, which combined are estimated to cost $130 million, are part of phases 2 and 3 of the University Athletic Association’s (UAA) Facilities Master Plan.

Original facility plans called for the UAA to renovate the baseball stadium and build a football training complex north of the Percy Beard Track, but after an extensive review with contractors and architects, it was determined that building a new baseball ballpark and locating the football training complex on the current baseball stadium site is a better long-term solution for the athletic programme.

Athletics Director Scott Stricklin said:

We want to invest wisely in our infrastructure to enhance our student-athlete and fan experiences.

And we want to make sure that we are making the best long-term decisions to create championship experiences with integrity for all of those that touch our programmes. Our athletic department is consistently among the top five in the nation, and it is our intent that all three of these facilities mirror that.

With the change in facility locations for both baseball and football, we will now adjust the sequencing for these projects. Baseball will need to be built first, which will allow us to repurpose the current baseball site and put the stand-alone football complex in that space.

New baseball park

Construction for the estimated $50 million baseball ballpark, with an overall capacity of 10,000, will begin in the fall of 2018 with a completion goal prior to the 2020 season.

Home plate will face northeast with the sun behind the stadium for a cooler atmosphere for the student-athletes and fans.

A 360-degree open concourse will give fans constant field views and multiple seating options will be under shade. Permanent chairback seats will increase from 2,408 to approximately 5,000, while fans will also be able to choose from premium seating and non-traditional seating options to bring overall capacity to approximately 10,000.

Enhanced concession space with new food options will also be available for fans, while student-athletes and staff will enjoy modern amenities and increased spaces.

All permanent seating will feature chairbacks (no bleachers), and there will multiple premium seating options along with grass berms and non-traditional seating that will bring capacity to an estimated 10,000. Chair back seating options will increase from 2,408 to approximately 5,000.

Multiple Seating & Game Experience Options

Fans will have the ability to purchase chairbacks, a variety of premium seating options, club lounge tickets and family zone seating.

Parking

On- site parking for approximately 400-500 vehicles, along with moped parking

High Definition Video and Sound

Florida’s new baseball stadium will be equipped with a state of the art video board and sound system

Enhanced Concession Space and Food Options

Concession stands and food trucks will provide a wide array of food options

Enhanced Fan Experience

All the aforementioned amenities above will make for a much better fan experience for Gator Nation, including an area to focus on activities for children and young fans

Prominent and welcoming entrances

Florida’s new baseball stadium will feature prominent and inviting entrances, including some key areas that will highlight program accomplishments including championships and Gator greats

Football training complex

Construction for the $65 million 130,000ft2 football training complex will be based on site availability and is currently estimated to start in late 2019 or early 2020 with a completion goal of 2021.

The facility will serve as the new day-to-day home for Florida football student-athletes and staff. Florida’s meeting rooms, locker room, strength and conditioning area, training room and coaches’ offices will all be adjacent to the practice field, creating maximum efficiency within the program. Other details are still in the development stage and will be announced later.

Estimated Timeline: Construction Start: Based on site availability, estimated late 2019 to early 2020

Goal for completion: 2021

Estimated Budget: $65 Million

Funding: Philanthropic Support, UAA Investment Earnings

Partners

Architects and Engineering – HOK

Construction Manager – Parrish McCall Constructors

This facility will serve as the new daily home for Florida football.

Prominent and Visible Entrance

Florida’s new football training complex will feature a prominent entrance that is sure to capture the attention of recruits and fans

Team Locker Room & Meeting Areas

Florida’s football team will now be housed right next to its practice field, creating maximum efficiency.

Weight Room

There will be a brand new state-of-the-art strength and conditioning space dedicated to the football program and adjacent to the indoor practice facility.

Coaches Offices & Player Areas

Spaces for all of Florida’s football coaches and staff will allow for more face-to-face time with players and dedicated team and lounge space will be inviting for players and recruits alike.

Enhanced Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation Facility with Hydrotherapy

Florida’s training staff will have state of the art resources to treat the student-athletes to ensure the health and development of each student athlete.

Future Opportunities

With the daily activities of the football program moving out of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, these spaces will be available for future development to benefit other student-athletes and fans. Plans for these spaces will be included with the full Facilities Master Plan announced at a later date.

Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium

The estimated $11 million renovation to softball’s Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium will begin in the summer of 2018 with a goal for completion prior to the 2019 season. Renovations will include a 360-degree open concourse, shade structures for fans and an elevated press box.

Fixed seating, which will be all chairback seats, will increase from 1,431 to approximately 2,280 and overall capacity will be approximately 2,800.

There will be modern student-athlete and staff amenities, such as locker room and sports medicine facilities, and enhanced experiences for fans.

This will allow for a permanent seating capacity, which will now all be chairbacks, to increase between from 1,431 to approximately 2,280 seats, but will still leave seating areas in non-traditional places like a berm for an overall capacity of approximately 2,800.

Multiple Seating & Game Experience Options

Fans will have the ability to purchase chairbacks

Enhanced Fan Experience

All the aforementioned amenities above will make for a much better fan experience for Gator Nation.

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